f a n t a s i e s and r e a l i t y
by Jazlynn
Summary: To sacrifice your fantasies is something that a Mermaid Princess must do to maintain their role within their kingdom. Some hopes and dreams can never be, but sometimes, you have to compromise to find happiness. Noel’s POV. Caren x Subaru, Noel x Rihito.


**_Author's Notes:_** This is a quick piece I was inspired to write. I heard this piece of music from Gundam Seed today (not that I've actually watched the show, mind you), but it made this idea pop into my head. In case you're interested, the song is called "Namida No Theme". I've also come across it as being called "Theme of Tears". Anyways, look up the song if you so wish. It's really pretty.

And on another note, in case you haven't heard, there's this awesome Mermaid Melody forum, _Pearl Waters_. If you aren't familiar with it, you should check it out. The link is _http : // pearlwaters . cambribus-magister . net_ without the spaces, of course. Hope to see you other Mermaid Melody fans hanging around there! But for now, I hope you enjoy the story!

**_f a n t a s i e s ._ and . r e a l i t y**  
_written by jazlynn._

The creative mind is a wonderful thing. It can make you dream, imagine, and fantasize about mystical things that you wish with all your heart were true. Sometimes, we'd all like to settle for a good fantasy. Our fantasies are always enlightening; they make us happy. And yet, they can tear you apart when you realize that your fantasy is just that – a fantasy. No matter what you do, you will always have to wake up to face the crushing harshness of reality. I know. Because I've seen it first hand. I've seen it with the sister who lies weeping in my arms.

I had no other way to comfort her. All I could do was hold her and tell her that everything would be alright – that she was a Mermaid Princess and needed to remain strong for her kingdom. But even I knew that it was hard for a broken heart to remain strong.

She was in love. She had been for quite some time. A certain young man had stolen her heart in Antarctica and has held it ever since. My sister never was quite the same after that. She had always known that she was a Mermaid Princess and could never love a human. She had accepted this fact and believed that she would never see him again. But time is unpredictable. Time can be cruel and can bring up painful memories that can make a strong-willed woman deteriorate.

It was a chance meeting. She never expected to see him again, but there he was. It was clear that he had been quite shocked to see her, reflecting the emotions of the mermaid. Yet, the shock melted away into excitement and happiness. He wanted to spend all of his time with my sister. My sister wanted the same. Yet their time spent together only made her realize her prior commitments. She was living in a fantasy and the fantasy had to end. Fantasy is a mere illusion. Her chances of being with that young man were the same. Nothing but a mirage. And so, she ended the relationship.

She came to me wordlessly, the pain clearly reflected in her eyes. I didn't need her words to understand that she was hurting. As her older sister, I wanted to do something. I wanted to make that hurt go away. I wanted for my sister to be happy. Yet when I embraced her and stroked her hair in a sisterly manner, she wept. Silent tears rolled down her tan cheeks, never ceasing even as I tried to wipe them away.

I had no idea what to do. I felt completely helpless to aid my sister when she needed me. I didn't know what words to say or how I should act. Other than my silent whispers speaking words that would never be true, all I could do was hold her.

I understood her pain. I understood the heartache she was feeling. Perhaps the closeness of our situations was what made it so difficult for me to comfort her. In trying to comfort her, I was trying to comfort myself. I was trying to soothe the denial I had faced when realizing that I was in love with _him_. The particular gentleman who befriended Lucia when it was her heart that was broken.

I had watched him from afar, taking great notice to him whenever I was visiting. He was kind, compassionate, and understanding. He helped us Mermaid Princesses overcome a great evil. He had shown patience and love when caring for his little sister. He cared for her just as much as I cared for mine. He was a man I could come to love. I had always wanted to talk with him, yet I could never manage to squeak out any other words than the occasional 'hello'.

However, like my sister, I prioritized my obligations over love. I distanced myself from the man I love. The pain left a whole in my chest like no other. My sister was the only one who could even start to fill that hole. Yet, with her just as miserable as me, the company didn't help. Not as well as it could have. For me to be happy, my sister needed to be happy. For my sister to be happy, she needed me to be happy. And neither of us was really happy.

Sometimes, you need to make the best out of your reality. Sometimes, you need to give up on your fantasies and realize that they are nothing more than that – fantasies. But sometimes, to make your reality happy, you need to reach for those fantasies and _make_ them your realities. Sometimes, a rule or two needs to be broken.

I took my sister by the hand and brought her directly to the one she loves. It turns out that she wasn't the only one who was miserable. She didn't need to hear my words to understand what I wanted. She knew that what I wanted was her happiness. I knew she wanted her happiness too. And so, she compromised her fantasy and reality. She would go out of her way to make him a part of her life.

It was time for me to do the same. I was not completely happy and I wouldn't unless I spoke with _him_ at least once. I needed to see where it would lead. And so, I left my sister to find the rest of my happiness – to find the rest of my heart if I had lost it somewhere along the way.

I found him by late morning speaking with his sister about various different things. I was unsure if I should approach him. Perhaps he was too busy speaking with his sister and would find me rude if I interrupted them? The thoughts were disheartening and I decided that I should leave.

Yet I was seized by the attention of the six year old girl who ran over to see me. She greeted me excitedly and I returned the gesture. She beckoned for me to come play with her and her older brother. I lifted my gaze to have my eyes meet with grey, emitting nothing but warmth. I smiled and accepted the child's offer, joining her and her brother for the afternoon.

To be truly happy, you need to make certain compromises in life. You may have to sacrifice parts of a fantasy to live in reality, but never sacrifice the things that will truly make you happy. A fantasy is only a fantasy unless you make it your reality.

* * *

_**Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch**__ is © 2003 Pink Hanamori and Michiko Yokote. No copyright infringement intended._


End file.
